Post by finallyfarming on Aug 1, 2012 17:16:30 GMT -5
Hello All! I promised myself I would not write asking advice until I had introduced myself, but procrastination did me in. So I guess I will just do both as I have a dilemma and need advice!
My name is Carol, I have a milking shorthorn cow that has been running my life for 17 months now. I have 7 1/2 acres in Southwest Washington that I am trying to make into something that at least feeds the family. I have two daughters, 16 and 21, a husband, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 6 sheep, 3 horses and 2 steers and the occasional pigs. Lots of chickens and ducks and a garden. I love taking this little piece of land seriously and trying to make something farm-like out of it! I have read Joanne's book and an amazing amount of what is on this site. It has been a life saver!
Cupcake, the Queen of the World, in her second lactation. She freshened last September 7 and I share milked until about a 6 weeks ago when I got a weaning ring in the chubby boy. He had basically weaned himself in the spring with the new grass but liked a little milk snack now and then. I was getting about 1 1/2 gallons in the morning and a little over gallon at night. About 3 weeks ago I went to OAD milking and was getting 2 gallons in the morning. The milk started to get salty a couple of weeks ago but unfortunately I have been distracted with a construction project and somehow did not notice, I never tasted any saltiness and my brother had to point it out about 3 days ago. I went back up to TAD and worked on thoroughly milking out and using lots of massage. She has dropped to about 1/2 to 3/4 gallons a milking in the last 3 days and it is like beating a dead horse to get anything out! I have to massage her udder and go from teat to teat to get any milk. She has no heat, swelling, soreness, lumps, and there are no clumps or goobers in the milk. All four quarters are still salty although a little less today. Other than being salty the milk tastes the same. I read everything on this site on salty milk and it seems more like she is drying herself off than mastitis. So am I right? And if she is drying herself off can I just let her do it? Or, because of the salty milk should I keep milking until it is back to normal? I am perplexed on what to do. Thanks for any advice!
My name is Carol, I have a milking shorthorn cow that has been running my life for 17 months now. I have 7 1/2 acres in Southwest Washington that I am trying to make into something that at least feeds the family. I have two daughters, 16 and 21, a husband, 5 dogs, 4 cats, 6 sheep, 3 horses and 2 steers and the occasional pigs. Lots of chickens and ducks and a garden. I love taking this little piece of land seriously and trying to make something farm-like out of it! I have read Joanne's book and an amazing amount of what is on this site. It has been a life saver!
Cupcake, the Queen of the World, in her second lactation. She freshened last September 7 and I share milked until about a 6 weeks ago when I got a weaning ring in the chubby boy. He had basically weaned himself in the spring with the new grass but liked a little milk snack now and then. I was getting about 1 1/2 gallons in the morning and a little over gallon at night. About 3 weeks ago I went to OAD milking and was getting 2 gallons in the morning. The milk started to get salty a couple of weeks ago but unfortunately I have been distracted with a construction project and somehow did not notice, I never tasted any saltiness and my brother had to point it out about 3 days ago. I went back up to TAD and worked on thoroughly milking out and using lots of massage. She has dropped to about 1/2 to 3/4 gallons a milking in the last 3 days and it is like beating a dead horse to get anything out! I have to massage her udder and go from teat to teat to get any milk. She has no heat, swelling, soreness, lumps, and there are no clumps or goobers in the milk. All four quarters are still salty although a little less today. Other than being salty the milk tastes the same. I read everything on this site on salty milk and it seems more like she is drying herself off than mastitis. So am I right? And if she is drying herself off can I just let her do it? Or, because of the salty milk should I keep milking until it is back to normal? I am perplexed on what to do. Thanks for any advice!